The Football Association has charged Chelsea with 74 alleged breaches of their agent and intermediary regulations, with the conduct said to span from 2009 to 2022, primarily during the 2010–11 to 2015–16 seasons, a time when the club was owned by Roman Abramovich.
Among the transfers that have raised eyebrows are those involving Eden Hazard, Samuel Eto’o, and Willian.
“The Football Association has today charged Chelsea FC with breaches of Regulations J1 and C2 of The FA Football Agents Regulations, Regulations A2 and A3 of The FA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries, and Regulations A1 and B3 of The FA Third Party Investment in Players Regulations.
“In total, 74 charges have been brought against Chelsea FC. The conduct that is the subject of the charges ranges from 2009 to 2022 and primarily relates to events which occurred between the 2010/11 to 2015/16 playing seasons.”
A few minutes later, Chelsea released a statement informing the public that the matter was self-reported and that they had been cooperating with the FA, even going as far as releasing files and historical data.
“Chelsea FC is pleased to confirm that its engagement with The FA concerning matters that were self-reported by the club is now reaching a conclusion.
“The club’s ownership group completed its purchase of the club on 30 May 2022. During a thorough due diligence process prior to completion of the purchase, the ownership group became aware of potentially incomplete financial reporting concerning historical transactions and other potential breaches of FA rules. Immediately upon the completion of the purchase, the Club self-reported these matters to all relevant regulators, including The FA.
“The club has demonstrated unprecedented transparency during this process, including by giving comprehensive access to the club’s files and historical data. We will continue working collaboratively with The FA to conclude this matter as swiftly as possible. We wish to place on record our gratitude to The FA for their engagement with the club on this complex case, the focus of which has been on matters that took place over a decade ago.”
If Chelsea is found guilty of the 74 charges, the present owners will receive a sporting sanction, including the present players. But since Chelsea has cooperated fully with the investigations, they might just get a financial penalty.
